Cycle-frame.



L. H. COBB.

CYCLE PRAME.

APPLIqATIoN FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

1,132,829. Patented Mar. 23, 1915.'

nnirnn srnrns ramm* OFFICE.,

LYMAN H. COBB, or FITCHBURG, MAssAcHUsETTs; AssIGNon' 'ro MARYELIZABETI-I JOHNSON, TBUSTEE, OEFITCHBURG, MAssAcHUsETTs. c i

CYCLE-FRAME. i

Application filed January 29, 1913.

To aZZ tclom it mag concern:

Be t known that I,- LYMAN H. COBB, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Fitchburg, in the County ofWorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in- Vented a new anduseful Improvement in Cycle-Frames, of which the following, togetherwith the accompanyingvdrawing, is a specification. v

My invention relates to cycle frames and more particularly to suchframes as are used in connection with motorcycles. Many features of theinvention are clearly applicable, however, to other forms of framessuch, for instance,-as those used in a common form of bicycle. i

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of frameincluding a mudguard whereby the mudguard itself will be resiliently andflexibly supported by other adjacent portions of the frame to which itis attached.

The invention involves novel features of` Construction not only in themudguard itself, but also in other adjacent portions of the frame whichcoperate in supporting the mudguard in the desired manner.

F urther objects andadvantages will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the forward portion of a motorcycle, thefront wheel of 'which is provided with a mudguard supported inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan VleW of the 'portion ofthe machine shown in Fg. 1; F ig. 3 s an enlarged View of a portion ofthe parts shown in Fig. 1, this figure being partially in section toshow details of Construction; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4of Fig. 3; F ig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 of F ig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line 6 of Fig. 3.

Like reference-characters refer to similar parts in the differentfigures.

I have illustrated the principles of my in- Vention by showing one formthereof as applied to a common type of motorcycle, comprising a head 1,a backbone 2 and a front brace 3. Rotatably supported within the head 1is a tube 4 to the lower end of which is Secured' a plate 4% The upperends of the rear pair of tubes 5 and 6 of the front fork of the machineare Secured -to the rear Specification of Letters Patenti Patented Mar.23, 1915.' I Serial no. 744840. i i

portion of this plate 4 At the forward corners of the plate 4 are theforwardly eX- tended and downwardly turned prongs 7 and 8 which arebrazed or otherwise attached to a second pair of tubes 9 and 10. Thetubes9 and 10 are rigidly attached at their lower ends to the tubes 5and 6 respectively, and the upper ends of the tubes 9 and 10 areattached to a plate :11 which is Secured to the upper end of the tube 4and which s provided with a clamping ring 12 for holding the handle bars13. p

The rigidly united tubes 5 and 9 are pivotally connected at their lowerends with the rear end of a short bar 14, and the lower ends of theunited tubes 6 and 10 are similarly connected with the rear end of ashort bar 15, the forward ends ofthe bars 14 and 15 being rotatablymonnted upon an axle 16 of the forward wheel 17 of the machine. A tube18, of inverted U-shape,` extends from one end of the axle over the topof the forward wheel 17 to the other end'of the axlei 16, bothextremities of this tube being also pivoted to the axle. Near the upperportion of the tube 18 isa cross bar 19 which joins the two sides of thetube 18 a short distance above the top of the wheel 17.

A spring 20, consisting of a series of leaf springs placed one above theother,`is attached to the lower face of the plate 4 by a staple 21 and apair of bolts 22. The spring. 20 is tapered somewhat being narrower atits forward end than at its rear end. The several leaves of the spring20'are 'all of substantially the same length so that the 'mudguard maybe properly attached to' and supported by the narrow forward endthereof. The forwardend of this spring 20 is curved downwardly andextends into the opening formed between the cross bar 19 andthe upperbent portion of the tube 18 and rests upon the central portion of thiscross bar 19. Immediately above this cross bar 19 is a small opening 23throughthespring 20 to accommodate a short post 24 rigidlyfixed to thecross bar 19.` The opening 23 in the spring 20 is elongated or enlargedlongitudinally of the spring so that the forward ends of the individualleaves comprising the 'As shown in F ig. 5, the post 24 is providednearits upper end with a shoulder 25,

the forwardly extending bent plate or bar 26 having its rear end securedagainst this shoulder 25 by a nut 27. Between the lower face of the rearend of the plate 26 and the adjacent upper surface of the spring 20 isinterposed a Washer 28 of leather or similar material, this Washer 28surrounding the post 2% so as to be held in place thereby. '1 heshoulder 25 on the post 2 1 prevents the rear end of the plate 26 andthe washer 28 from pressing against the upper surface of the spring 20sufiieiently to cause the individual leaves of the spring to bind whenthe spring is distorted.

The forward portion of the plate 26 is bent downwardly and thenforwardly to support the forward portion of the mudguard 29. Between theforward end of the plate 26 and the adjacent portion of the uppersurface of the nudguard 29 is interposed a Washer 30, and extendingupwardly through alined openings in the mudguard 29, the Washer 30 andthe forward end of the plate 26 is a bolt 31, provided with a. head atits lower end and having its upper end threaded and provided with ashoulder 32. A spiral spring 33 surrounding the bolt 31 is held in placeby an inverted cup 3-1 screwed onto the threaded upper end of the bolt31 against the shoulder This in- Verted cup incloses the spring 33 inorder to protect it from dust and other foreign matter and frommechanical injury. The upper end of the cup is formed into the shape ofa nut to facilitate its removal and replacement. While this nut ispreferably integral with the cup, the two parts may be formed separatelyif desired. The lower edge of the cup 31 does not quite reach the upperface of the bar 26 and the bolt 31 is fitted so as to slide freely inthe opening therefor in the bar 26, a yielding and resilient connectionbetween the muuguard and its support being thus provided.

The nudguard 29 is divided into a forward portion and a rear portion,the two portions meeting at the staple 21 and the adjacent or neetingends of the two portions of the mudguard being supported by this staple.The forward end 35 of the rear portion of the mudguard is sufficientlynarrow to lie between the two legs of the staple so as to be held firmlyin place between the horizontal portion of the staple and the undersurface of the spring 20. This forward end of the rear portion of themudguard is offset upwardly so as to provide a space between the spring20 and the remainder of this portion of the inudguard. This preventsfriction and makes the parts easier to clean. The forward portion of themudguard 29 is provided at its rear end with a narrow tongue 36, formedeither integrally or attached to this portion of the mudguard by rivetsas shown in Fg. 3. The central portion of the upper surface ofthehorizonthe forward portion of the mudguard. The

recess which reeeives the tongue 36 is, of course, not wide enough toreach either edge of the forward end 35 of the rear portion of themudguard. A; short rearward extension 37 is provided at each side of thetongue 36 to overlap the adjacent end of the rear portion of thenudguard and so to close the space between the two portions thereof. Theother end of the rear portion of the mudguard is supported by rods 38,each attached at one end to an edge of the mudguard and at its other endto a member 39 pivoted to the front fork of the machine.

While I have illustrated the principles of my invention by showing anddescribing the details of one form thereof, T do not wish to be' limitedto such details as it is obvious that certain changes may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention; but

l Vliil) I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cycle frame, a head, a member rotatably mounted in the head andhaving a yielding connection with the axle of a wheel to permit saidmember to move toward and from the aXle, a leaf spring having one endconnected to said member, the leaves of the spring being ofsubstantially the same length, and means connecting the other end of thespring with said axle.

2. In a cycle frame, a head, a member rotatably mounted in the head andhaving a yielding connection with the axle of a wheel to permit saidmember to move toward and from the aXle, a tapered leaf spring havingone end 'connected to said member, the leaves of the spring being ofsubstantially the same length, and means connecting the other end of thespring with said axle.,

3. In a cycle frame, a support having a yielding connection with theaxle of a wheel to permit the support to move toward and from the axle,a leaf spring carried by the support, the leaves of the spring being ofsubstantially the same length and the spring having an elongated openingthrough one end, a post through said opening, and means supporting thepost from said axle.

4. In a cycle frame, a support having a yielding connection with theaxle of a wheel to pernit the support to move toward and from the axle,a leaf spring carried by the support, the leaves of the spring being ofsubstantially the same length and the spring having an elongated openingthrough one end, a post through said opening, means supporting the postfrom said' axle, and mudsupporting the post from said axle, and guardsupporting means carried by the post. 5. In a cycle frame, a supporthaving a yielding connection with the xle of a wheel to permit thesupport to move toward and from the axle, a spring carried by thesupport, the spring having an opening through one end, a post throughsaid opening, means ost. p .Dated this 24th day of January 1913.

LYMAN H. COBB. Witnesses;

N ELLIEWHALEN, PENELOPE COMBERBACHQ copies ot this patent may beobfiained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissloner otPatents, e

' Washington, D. c."

mudguard' supporting means carried by the 10

